Titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles of rutile phase were synthesized by hydrolysis of TiCl4 at 95 ℃ in aqueous solution. The samples as prepared and calcined at 500 ℃ were characterized by XRD, TG-DTA and TEM. The sample as prepared was of imperfect rutile structure, and its morphology was rod-like with a diameter of 10～20 nm, a length of 20～80 nm and an aspect ratio of 2～4. The structure of the sample calcined at 500 ℃ was a perfect rutile one, and its morphology was rod-like with a diameter of 15～25 nm, a length of 25～105 nm and an aspect ratio of 2～4. These results indicate that calcination temperature has a positive effect on the structure and the size of rutile nanocrystals, and has no effect on the aspect ratio of rutile nanocrystal. A model for the formation mechnism of rutile nanocrystal in aqueous solution under hydrolysis conditions has been proposed.
Nano-crystalline tungsten carbide thin films were deposited on Ni substrates by magnetron sputtering using WC as target material. The crystal structure and morphology of the thin films were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Electrochemical investigations showed that the electrode of the thin film exhibited higher electrocatalytic activity in the reaction of p-nitrophenol (PNP) reduction. FT-IR analysis indicated that p-aminophenol (PAP) was synthesized after two step reduction of PNP on nano-crystalline tungsten carbide thin film electrode.
